City Hall’s plan for transforming Market Square into a bustling food court hit a snag this year — lack of interest.

Officials rolled out the food cart program in spring 2011, hoping to enliven the usually quiet plaza with an array of eating options as well as tables and seats for hungry office workers, tourists and residents. Three years later, just the tables, adorned by bright yellow umbrellas, remain.

The concept, then touted by former City Councilor Rob Krupicka as Alexandria’s answer to the food truck craze, got off to an inauspicious start. Officials planned for eight carts, all deployed by brick-and-mortar Old Town restaurants, serving customers on a daily basis.

But at its peak, the program saw just five takers. By the end of the first year, two carts still vied for hungry pedestrians. And only one expressed interest in continuing last year.

Not a single restaurateur applied for the program this year.

Val Hawkins, president and CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, points to the hassle of getting the city-approved carts to and from Market Square as one obstacle. The other is financial.

“It wasn’t really a profitable venture for these folks, for the vendors that did it,” Hawkins said. “When people ran their numbers … they could see that there was a very tight margin on that cart. When they got into it, [their concerns] were confirmed, basically.”

While Bread and Chocolate as well as Fontaine Caffe and Creperie — the two that survived the program’s inaugural year — did not return media inquiries, restaurateur Mike Anderson imagines profits didn’t meet expectations for the businesses involved.

“My guess is if everybody is making money then they would go through whatever aggravation there is to stay open,” Anderson said. “My guess is the volume of sales just wasn’t there to make it worth the effort to set up every single day.”

When Anderson stopped by Market Square, the carts seemed busy. But that doesn’t mean they were economically viable.

“What you see and what those guys actually ring up is sometimes two different things,” Anderson said.

Former Vice Mayor Kerry Donley backed the proposal when it went before city council and recalls plenty of interest from the local business community. But at the end of the day, he said, restaurateurs had to put up several thousand dollars — from $2,899 to nearly $6,000 — for the carts and then operate them along with their brick-and-mortar shops.

“I think it’s hard for existing restaurants to say, ‘Here, I’m going to invest $5,000 or whatever it costs to buy one of these carts,’ when they’re trying to run a restaurant at the same time,” Donley said. “I think there was a lot of interest in it, but I think when push came to shove … a lot of people shied away from it.”

Before retiring as deputy planning director in recent months, Barbara Ross spearheaded the initiative. Even as interested vendors dwindled, she stood by the program’s success.

The idea behind the proposal, she told the Times in fall 2011, was invigorating Market Square. And the addition of tables and chairs did just that, she said.

Officials are contacting restaurants previously interested in the program, hoping to find vendors for the summer months. If that doesn’t work, then the city needs alternative ideas for further enlivening the plaza, Donley said.

“I do think Market Square is a wonderful place, and we ought to look for better ways to utilize this attractive, peaceful open space in an urban environment,” he said. “If it’s not going to be food carts, we ought to look for other ways to make Market Square an attractive and nice place for people to congregate.”

http://alextimes.com/2013/05/wheels-come-off-market-square-food-cart-program/

First Night Alexandria participants enjoyed pizza from DC Slices, 2012. Credit Sharon McLoone

Council is expected to consider a legislative proposal in June that would bring food trucks to the City of Alexandria.

“It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Rose Boyd, special assistant to the city manager, at a Friday morning small business event hosted by the Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association at St. George Gallery in Old Town.

Boyd noted that the city is embarking on new initiatives to ensure Alexandria is small business-friendly and the acceptance of food trucks dovetails with those plans.

City staff put together the proposal to go before council, which asked for the plan during a recent retreat.

The trucks would be permitted anywhere through city limits 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. and allowed to park for up to four hours at a time in specific city locations:

1. Old Town — on King Street in front of King Street Gardens, by the courthouse, and the east side of the 100 block of Royal Street by City Hall.
2. Del Ray — Mount Vernon Avenue in front of the Department of Community and Human Services building.
3. Carlyle — by the atrium

For the quickest Alexandria updates, “like” Old Town Alexandria Patch on Facebook and follow @alexandriapatch on Twitter.

The trucks can park in any legal parking spot in the city, but only up to four hours in those locations.

A maximum of three food trucks will be allowed on one block at the same time, in a first-come, first-serve environment.

Restrictions include no parking in front of restaurants allowing outdoor dining, and no parking in any residential parking district unless a truck has been approved for a special permit or for a private event.

City staff is discussing how far a food truck must park from a restaurant with outdoor dining. Boyd noted that a truck’s fumes could irritate outdoor diners plus the city wants to ensure the food trucks would not take business away from established, fixed restaurants.

Additionally, a truck cannot park within two blocks of an event such as First Night Alexandria, which last year hosted its own food trucks. Council will discuss those recommendations upon the plan’s review.

Boyd said she has been closely watching the evolution of food trucks in Fairfax and Arlington counties as well as in Washington, D.C.

In response to an audience member question, Boyd said there will be structural standards for trucks but not visual standards.

“Part of their appeal is the funky look,” she said.

The trucks will be subject to certain Health Department requirements for food service.

Boyd said the trucks could fulfill several needs, such as recent requests for healthier food choices at youth sporting events.

They could be welcome at some sports events, including T.C. Williams games, she said.

An audience member identifying herself as normally being located near the Mark Center said food trucks would be most welcome in that area as there is a significant lack of dining choices there.

They have not yet worked out how to handle sales tax collection, Boyd said.

The trucks must be 10 feet high or less to accommodate the lights on King Street.

They will not be permitted to sell alcohol and the city’s police department will be charged with enforcing any parking infractions.

http://oldtownalexandria.patch.com/articles/food-trucks-headed-to-alexandria#photo-14486260

Customer Alioni Dameron waits for her Kafta Classic on the streets of Rosslyn. Photo by Michael Lee Pope.

It’s shortly after 1 p.m. on a beautiful spring day in Rosslyn. The streets are packed with people, many of whom stop to read the menu at Kafta Mania — a food truck owned by Pascal Halabi and his mother, who came to America from Lebanon about 25 years ago. Because Arlington County limits food trucks to a two-hour vending time, Halabi is about to close his door and drive away despite the fact that he still has customers wanting to place an order.

“How am I supposed to tell customers if they are waiting in line to get food after two hours that I have to shut my window and I can’t serve them?” he asked. “Would you tell a brick-and-mortar business that they have to close after two hours?”

Tension between food trucks and brick-and-mortar businesses is nothing new. But now that the Arlington County Board has given the green light to the creation of new vending zones, the rules of the game have changed a bit. The county manager’s office now has the authority to create new zones where food truck vendors could potentially stay longer than two hours at a time. The new zones might also allow vendors to open their doors late at night to cater to the bar crowd, rather than ending all sales at 8 p.m., which is now the case.

“I think the underlying problem is that there’s not a level playing field,” said Arlington Chamber of Commerce president Rich Dowd. “In a normal brick-and-mortar operation they have fairly heavy expenses, especially in Arlington.”

THE HISTORY OF FOOD TRUCKS in Arlington dates back to 2008, when the County Board took action to expand a set of rules created for ice-cream trucks. Back then, the vendors were limited to parking for five minutes at a time — and, even then, the customer was required to stop the vendor for a sale. Since that time, food trucks have exploded thanks in part to the social-media revolution. Today, the county has about 100 licensed mobile food vendors.

“We need more places to go,” said Chong Lee, who sells kimchi tacos out of a green truck called Lime Tree. “And we need more time.”

Owners of food trucks and food carts disagree with those who say they don’t pay taxes and fees.

“Well that’s not fair because we pay state tax,” said Sabri Uzun, who sells crepes out of a cart at Crandal Mackey Park. “But they don’t like competition so what can we do?”

NOW THAT COUNTY BOARD members have taken action to give the county manager’s office more authority to create new vending zones, Arlington officials have the ability to draft a new map that would allow longer hours and later nights for the vendors. But, according to commercial development specialist Jill Griffin with Arlington Economic Development, no discussion is currently taking place to create a new zone.

“We have to be careful,” said Griffin. “We need to look at the land use that’s around and the parking resources and what’s happening in the evening.”

For the time being, county officials have not taken any steps to create any vending zones. That means that all food trucks are limited to two hours in a specific parking spot, and that they must stop selling at 8 p.m. All vendors must live with that for now. County officials have the ability to create hours that are longer and later, although they seem to be in no rush to make that happen.

“Sometimes you are in the mood at 12:30 and sometimes at 1:30, and then they’re gone,” said Alioni Dameron, who works in Rosslyn. “So you are stuck with the usual corporate choices.”

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2013/may/15/arlington-food-trucks-longer-later/

]]> http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2013/05/arlington-va-will-arlington-food-trucks-be-able-to-park-longer-than-two-hours-or-after-8-p-m/feed/ 0 http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2013/04/arlington-va-board-votes-to-extend-food-truck-parking-time/ http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/2013/04/arlington-va-board-votes-to-extend-food-truck-parking-time/#comments Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:00:40 +0000 MFN Editor #1 http://www.mobilefoodnews.com/?p=50975 By Contributor |  ARL Now.com

The Arlington County Board last night voted to extend the one-hour parking limit for food trucks by another hour.

Food trucks will now be able to serve customers on local streets for up to two hours. They will not, however, be able to stay longer than the time allocated by the meter zone they’re parked in.

The previous one-hour limit had led to complaints and even legal challenges from food truck owners who argued that an hour doesn’t give them enough time to serve hungry customers in busy parts of the county where parking is at a premium.

“The extension of the vending time better reflects typical lunch hours and more closely aligns with the metered parking zones in Arlington,” the county said in a press release. “More than 90 percent of metered parking spaces within Arlington’s metro station areas are regulated for two or more hours.”

In voting unanimously for the change, Board members said food trucks are increasingly integral part of the community.

“Street vending has become a growing part of the retail scene in Arlington,” said County Board Chair Walter Tejada. “These changes, by giving vendors flexibility and ensuring consistent enforcement, provide balance and clarity for all of Arlington’s businesses that serve customers.”

Doug Maheu, Arlington County Director of the Food Truck Association of Metropolitan Washington and owner of the Doug Food Dude food truck, said in a statement that food truck owners are largely pleased with the change, but would have liked even more time to vend.

Although the members of Metropolitan Washington Food Truck Association would not consider these amendments perfect, we do understand that they are a work in progress. We look forward to participating in future conversations with Arlington County as well as other stake holders on crafting equitable vending regulations. We applaud the Arlington County Board for moving forward to make Arlington a thriving diverse business community.

Maheu said food truck owners will continue to ask for four hour “block permits” that would allow even more vending time. As for the possibility of an influx of food trucks from D.C. to Arlington, should the District enactstrict food truck regulations that have been proposed by Mayor Vincent Gray, Maheu said he’s not overly concerned.

“I believe that the market will take care of competition as it always done,” he said.

Maheu said he’s aware of 3 or 4 D.C. food trucks that have applied for permits to serve customers in Arlington, but added that he didn’t believe those applications were made in response to D.C.’s proposed regulations.

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/04/24/board-votes-to-extend-food-truck-parking-time/

A customer purchases lunch from one of the hundreds of vending trucks that set up shop along the streets of Washington, DC. (Photo credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, Va. — Food trucks in Arlington will have a whole two hours to sell their goodies now, as the county board unanimously approved doubling the previous one-hour parking limit Tuesday.

By 3 p.m., the lunch rush might be over on Wilson Boulevard but there are still plenty of people interested in making a quick run for a curbside cupcake. Now that he’s got an extra hour to work with, Brandon Lawson tells WNEW’s George Mesthos that he can keep his pink truck on the curb and scoop up the snackers and stragglers.

“That little bit of time can make the difference,” he said.

But brick and mortar businesses still aren’t thrilled that the food trucks can cut off the path to their doors.

RELATED — Food Truck Association: DC Trucks in Jeopardy

“You know, you walk down from the Rosslyn Metro and there’s five food trucks serving breakfast,” said Spencer Lacey, general manager of Brown Bag Rosslyn. But his restaurant is fighting fire with fire.

“We just started our food trucks about two months ago… trying to capture some of that business that all these trucks are seeing.”

Lawson says the changes in Arlington are a good start, but he and other food truckers are worried about changes the District is considering.

If Mayor Vincent Gray’s latest proposed “Mobile Roadway Vending” regulations are enacted, trucks would become illegal in most of downtown D.C., representatives of the DC Food Truck Association said in March.

“They’re trying to force it so that we’re not close to certain restaurants all around D.C., and a lot of hot spots where we do sell at, there’s restaurants there already,” Lawson said. “So, it’s making it very difficult… it’s a real big, big issue.”

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/04/24/food-truck-climate-warms-up-in-arlington/

Arlington’s food trucks may have an easier time adhering to the law if the County Board adopts changes to an ordinance this weekend. The parking issues that have been plaguing food truck vendors and resulted in legal battles in recent months will come up at Saturday’s board meeting.

Proposed ordinance changes include extending the amount of time food trucks can park in one space from one hour to two hours. Currently, food trucks must move after one hour, but the ordinance wording is vague and doesn’t specify how far the vehicle must move, causing problems with enforcement. That’s another issue board members will examine on Saturday.

Food truck vendors have argued that the 60 minute rule hurts business because they were often forced to move in the middle of a lunch rush, or else face a citation. County staff appears to agree, based on the following excerpt from the staff report:

This time limitation is challenging for vendors and customers when typical lunch hours are between 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m. A vendor is not able to adequately serve customers and patrons are unable to purchase lunch if their hours don’t correspond. Further, the overwhelming majority (approximately 90 percent) of parking meters within the Metro Station Areas are for at least two (2) hours.

Under the proposed ordinance amendments, the two hour limit would only cover time when vendors are actively selling to customers, not food prep time or clean up time. After a vendor’s time expires, sales would be required to stop and the vehicle would need to be moved to another marked parking space. If the parking area does not have metered spaces, the vehicle would need to be moved at least 25 feet.

Last month, a representative for the Food Truck Association of Metropolitan Washington told ARLnow.comthat the organization supports the county’s proposed ordinance changes.

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/04/18/food-truck-parking-woes-may-lessen/

There’s nothing better than walking around after a long day of classes only to spot a food truck parked on the side of the road, dishing out all kinds of crazy cuisine.  Better yet, if you’re out sight-seeing or shopping and simply don’t want to deal with the hassle of a restaurant, D.C. can almost always bail you out with a food truck in the immediate vicinity. However, according to The DCist, the food truck culture of Washington DC may change as we know it.

Although there may not be reason to panic yet, more difficult restrictions imposed on DC food truck “zones” coupled with looser laws in Arlington, VA may shift the epicenter of the D.C.-Metro food trucks away from D.C. and across the Potomac.  On April 20, Arlington County is holding a public hearing regarding a change in restrictions that would allow for more flexibility in timing and location of food trucks in the area.  Later, on April 30, the D.C. Council is holding a hearing that would change the process of “zoning” into lottery allocation, which would mean that unlucky trucks would be forced to shift away from D.C.  Plus, the combination of the rule changes would simply make it easier for trucks to operate in Arlington.

D.C.’s food truck industry is extremely profitable, though, and the trucks would probably do more business here than across the river.  However, these restriction changes could certainly mean a large change in availability and accessibility to food trucks, as numerous businesses would likely shift to Virginia.

I personally don’t know what I’d do without cheap delicious food on wheels, so lets hope that they’re here to stay.

http://www.blog.thehoya.com/goodbye-food-trucks/

Credit Rachel Hatzipanagos

When Elaine Hosein and her family were looking to launch a food truck selling their homemade donuts, they thought about Washington, but quickly found that launching in Arlington would be the better option.

“It’s way easier to set up in Arlington then DC,” said Hosein, co-owner of food truck Mama’s Donut Bites, which started operating in March.

If proposed new regulations for food vendors in Arlington County take effect, starting a food truck in the county could be easier. The changes to the county’s code relating to food trucks would extend the amount of time vendors can stay in one place from one hour to two and will allow for more flexibility where vendors can set up.

The county is hosting a public hearing April 20 to discuss the proposed changes to make the county more food truck friendly.

If passed, Arlington could be the most headache-free option for rolling out a food truck in the Washington metro area.

“It’s one of the more enlightened approaches to vending,” said Doug Povich, the chairman of Food Truck Association of Metropolitan Washington. The organization has about 50 members and promotes food trucks in the region, and works with area local governments to create laws favorable to vendors.

The regulations mark Arlington’s next step in its evolving stance on food trucks. Before 2008, food trucks were only allowed to be on the curb for five minutes or less. That was revised to an hour, but that still may not be enough to accommodate the county’s 100 licensed mobile food vendors.

“We’ve recognized that the hour is not sufficient for our vendors and the customers of vendors,” said Jill Griffin, who is a commercial development specialist for Arlington’s Economic Development office. “So we’ve been looking at this for a while.”

The new regulations also allow the county manager more flexibility in judging where vendors would be allowed to park. Currently, vendors can’t be parked beyond 1,200 feet of a Metro station.

The Mama’s Donut Bites truck parks near the Rosslyn Metro, and they will even hold a second parking spot using another car as a courtesy for other food vendors.

Any changes to county regulations are part of Arlington’s larger concerns in managing “the public realm” in the face of competing priorities, Griffin said.

“The initial public hearing is to fix a small piece of the vending ordinance. Working with business owners, property owners and restaurateurs we will be looking at a more comprehensive revision,” Griffin said.

It’s a move “in the right direction,” said Povich, with the food truck association. It comes a few months after charges were dropped against Korean fusion food truck Seoul Food Truck, which operates in Arlington and the metro area.

Owners Anna Shil and her husband J.P. Goree could have faced a $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail after getting a ticket from Arlington police for not moving her truck far away enough from her initial parking space after their first hour of vending.

The charges against the Seoul Food operators were later tossed out of an Arlington court after the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office determined that the law was too vague to enforce, according to Robert Frommer, of the Arlington-based Institute for Justice. Among other causes, the institute advocates for legalizing food trucks as part of its “National Street Vending Initiative.”

“Thankfully the Arlington county commissioners have gone back to the drawing board,” Frommer said. “I think, ideally, food trucks should be able to stay as long at a location as any other vehicle.”

Griffin, from the county’s economic development office, said the Seoul Food incident wasn’t the only reason the county has decided to review its codes.

“I wouldn’t say it was from a specific incident, we’ve taken a holistic look at food trucks,” Griffin said.

Beyond Arlington

The ruling may even attract more vendors to Arlington since Washington is currently considering laws that would make it more difficult for vendors to operate, Povich said.

“There have been some issues with respect to a lot of trucks in popular areas of the city and that has led to parking congestion and issues,” Povich said. “So DC wanted to solve those problems.”

Proposals in DC would restrict the amount of food trucks where there is less than 10 feet of unobstructed sidewalk and other restrictions that the food truck association says would be unreasonable.

“When you compare [DC] to Arlington where you could park up to two hours, it’s like night and day,” Povich said. “That’s the way it should be.”

The food truck association is also working with local governments in the city of Alexandria, which bans food trucks entirely except for certain special events, and Fairfax County, which Povich said could also benefit from a revamp of its current laws.

The public hearing on the proposed new regulations in Arlington County take place April 20. After that, the Arlington County Board would have to formally approve any changes to the code.

http://clarendon.patch.com/articles/owning-a-food-truck-in-arlington-may-get-easier

Mama’s Donut Bites food truck in Rosslyn. The food truck offers made-to-order donuts in Arlington. Credit Rachel Hatzipanagos

A made-to-order donut truck has rolled out in Rosslyn, adding to the ever-expanding options of mobile cuisine in Arlington.

“You can smell them from blocks away,” said Elaine Hosein, co-owner of Mama’s Donut Bites. “It makes it more appealing.”

Fresh donuts on the Mama’s Donut Bites food truck. Credit: Rachel Hatzipanagos

Mama’s Donut Bites started out a farmers market in Vienna in 2011 and launched the truck in March.

Fresh donuts being cooked on the Mama’s Donut Bites food truck. Credit: Rachel Hatzipanagos

“We are all obsessed with food,” Hosein said. “We were debating on opening up a shop or a food truck, and a food truck is less costly. Plus, I think it’s really cool to drive around in a big truck.”

Elaine and her brother Rod Hosein bring the ingredients for the donuts to the site and fry them to order on the truck. They offer one donut flavor a day, ranging from apple cider to red velvet and blueberry.

Fresh donuts on the Mama’s Donut Bites food truck. Credit: Rachel Hatzipanagos

Customers can also add toppings including raspberry preserves, dark chocolate and white chocolate.

“They are very light and fluffy and airy donuts, not as dense as what you would get in a store,” Hosein said.

The food truck currently operates throughout Arlington five days a week, typically from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Its schedule changes frequently, so follow the truck on Facebook and Twitter page for updates.

http://clarendon.patch.com/articles/mama-s-donut-bites-brings-fresh-treat-to-rosslyn#photo-13924591

Pork ribs from the Estes BarB’Que food truck. (Photos by Lena Price)

The scent of pulled pork and baby back ribs will soon be wafting out of a Jackson Ward storefront.

Joshua Estes, owner of the Estes BarB’Que food truck, is about a month away from launching a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 317 N. 2nd St. The eatery will have the same name as the mobile business, but Estes said he’s planning an expanded menu that incorporates more local ingredients.

Estes BarB’Que owner Joshua Estes

“Our goal is to make barbecue as exquisite as any other food-based hobby, like wine or craft beer,” Estes said.

The restaurant will lease the space from Michael Ng, who owns the nearby Thai Corner and is working to turn that block into a mini restaurant corridor.

Estes’s food truck serves lunch at the corner of 11th and Broad streets and makes the rounds at a few food truck courts. He said the customer base he’s built up with the mobile business should help the restaurant get off the ground.

He decided to break into the food business about two years ago, and it took him about a year to build his 4-by-8-foot cart. He’ll keep operating the food truck once the restaurant opens and plans to hire three to four employees.

“When I opened, I really wanted to help people overcome any food truck-phobia,” said Estes, 24. “I wanted to bring a full service restaurant to the streets.”

Before launching the barbecue business, Estes was a pre-med student and fungal biology at VCU. He launched the business hoping to make a dent in his student loans.

“As soon as I started, I knew this is what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life,” Estes said. “I wanted to do something with more room for creativity.”

With eight sauces and six kinds of slaw, Estes said the shop would have close to 200 sandwich varieties. He’s also offering a vegetarian barbecue platter with mushrooms from local forager Steve Haas.

“It’s all about the options,” Estes said. “That’s what’s going to set us apart from some of the other Richmond barbecue places.”

Estes’s shop is part of Ng’s plan to transform his block of Jackson Ward into a thriving restaurant court. Ng owns four properties on the block, including space occupied by his Thai Corner restaurant and Big Herm’s Kitchen.

Ng is also working to launch Andale’s, his take on Chipotle, in about six weeks at 325 N. 2nd St.

“I didn’t expect all this development to happen so quickly,” Ng said. “But with the convention center and VCU growing so rapidly, it’s seemed like the right opportunity.”

Ng said he invested just under $100,000 to convert the Estes space into a functioning restaurant.

“It’s a long term-investment,” Ng said. “Estes is going to be a great complement to what we have in that area right now.”

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2013/04/04/barbecue-truck-finds-a-permanent-spot/